Anniversary!

Happy Anniversary to us! It's been one year exactly since Ben and I got hitched, and man have there been a few changes since then. Ben finished his Master's, we moved to Zurich, I started a PhD program, and we're now 31 weeks pregnant. I'd say that's quite a bit for a year. But I'd say, considering all these crazy changes, we're doing just fine and enjoying the latest leg of the adventure.

Wildflowers by our house.

On the housing front there has been some good news. The apartment we were hoping to get (which was actually any apartment at this point) got back to us, and it looks like it's ours! We're meeting with the landlord and the current tenant this coming Friday for "The Handover." Apparently it's a big deal in Switzerland, and I'm not quite sure what it entails. All I know is that we're getting the keys to a place that's at least somewhat bigger than our current cozy closet, so I'm beyond excited to set up shop over there. I can't post pictures yet, since there are none, but I will as soon as we get settled in. From what I remember of our brief visit, there is a small bedroom and bathroom, a nice living room, but unfortunately not really a kitchen. You can tell the building wasn't originally intended to be used as an apartment building, so the kitchen looks a bit misplaced. Right now it consists of a mini-fridge, a small sink, and two old hotplates. Apparently the landlord bought a mini-oven for the apartment, but it doesn't fit in the kitchen, so it's hidden somewhere within the apartment. I actually don't remember seeing it when we looked at the place, but I'm sure it's there somewhere.

Flea market by new apartment.

Giant clock.

Yesterday we and a few people from the lab went to a flea market close to where our new apartment is. There were hundreds of stalls, even more people, and more junk, I mean treasures, than I have ever seen in one place in my life. They really know how to do their flea markets here. They set up shop every Saturday from 6 in the morning to after 4 at night, and the place is hoping the whole time. It was fun to walk through and see everyone's wares, but I don't think I'll need a 200 CHF tea cup or a full suit of armor any time soon. But hey, if I ever do, I'll know exactly where to go. 

Narrow streets and lots of flags.

After we perused all the stalls, we decided to walk around the Old Town area of Zurich, which then turns into Down Town, and finally the train station. Of course, that's not what they call it here, but the words are too big for me to spell right now. After a stop at the chocolate shop where we loaded up on plenty of chocolatey delectables, we walked around the old, narrow streets, to a park where they have life-sized chess boards. Ben's eyes got huge, he dropped all of his belongings, including the camera, and ran as fast as he could to watch the old men gathered around the closest board. I think that was the happiest day of Ben's life. He of course insisted on playing, and Ariani, another of Johan's PhD students, was too polite to decline Ben's demand for a chess match, so the game begun. Now, I think it's funny that during the walk through the partially shaded flea market Ben complained about the sun and heat the whole time, but yet he stood squarely in the sun for over an hour while they played that game without even a peep. That guy.  

Ben in heaven.

View along the river.